# BrainWave vs Lucidly

The clearest difference is price: Lucidly at Free against BrainWave's $3.99. Lucidly also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). BrainWave's advantage is review sentiment (87% vs 44%) and rating (4.9 vs 3.3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Lucidly is free to download; BrainWave costs $3.99 up front. Lucidly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. BrainWave asks for nothing beyond the download.

BrainWave holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BrainWave has 1.1K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of BrainWave's written reviews are positive against 44% of Lucidly's.

BrainWave ships an update every 2 months, Lucidly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainWave | Lucidly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainwave-dream-inducer/id383185215/reviews)** | [3.3 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lucidly/id1566419183/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **86.9% of reviews** | 43.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 159 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Banzai Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/305909501) | [5Path LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1544734236) |

## What reviewers say

### BrainWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainwave-dream-inducer/id383185215)

This app uses binaural brainwave entrainment with ambient sounds to induce specific dream states. It offers 11 programs designed to synchronize brainwaves with frequencies associated with different levels of dreaming, enhancing dream vividness. Headphones are required for optimal results.

**Highlights:** 11 Binaural Dream Induction Programs, Ambient soundscapes, Sleep induction phase, Alpha, Beta, and Theta dream sequences, Ambience + Other App background mode, Other App background mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Effective
- 💤 Helps with sleep
- 🌙 Induces vivid dreams
- 🌟 Great for relaxation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional technical issues
- 🔇 Headphones can be uncomfortable for sleeping
- 🤔 Inconsistent results for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Compatibility issues with certain devices/headphones
- Occasional audio glitches or interruptions

**Requested features**

- More ambient sound options
- Ability to adjust frequency settings
- Integration with other sleep/meditation apps
- Support for voice control


### Lucidly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lucidly/id1566419183)

This app uses AI and your smartwatch to detect REM sleep. It alerts you during this phase, allowing you to attempt lucid dreaming. It supports various induction techniques and offers two modes for sleep entry or REM detection.

**Highlights:** Real-time REM prediction, AI-driven sleep stage detection, Haptic and audible alerts, Two operating modes (Inference & Hypnagogic), Adjustable prediction thresholds and alerts, Session analytics and charts, Apple HealthKit integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual Access | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainWave free?

BrainWave costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lucidly free?

Lucidly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BrainWave or Lucidly?

BrainWave is rated higher. BrainWave averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Lucidly averages 3.3 from 18 ratings.

### Do BrainWave or Lucidly have ads?

Neither BrainWave nor Lucidly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrainWave or Lucidly?

BrainWave ships an update every 2 months, and Lucidly weekly. Most recently, BrainWave was updated on October 17, 2026 and Lucidly on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*